The Cycle
by DetectiveBeckett
Summary: Rick learns that when Kate drinks, she will say a lot more than she will when she's sober. While trying to be respectful, he can't help but wonder how this could benefit him.
1. Chapter 1

"Being attractive means shit when you don't have a lover to share it all with. You might not agree with me because you love that you can sit back and enjoy the view, and I can't necessarily say that I don't enjoy the gesture every now and then because I do. It's nice to know that someone can stare all day every day and still have hungry eyes the next morning when reunited. It makes me feel…" she fell silent for a moment as she tried to think of the word to best describe it. She looked around as though she'd find the answer floating in the air around her. That plan did fail ultimately, but the word struck her right before she let the thought go. "Sexy. But being sexy isn't everything. I want to be beautiful."

Richard smirked at the very drunk Kate Beckett. The woman has found the courage to let him in, offering snippets of her past and insights on her latest dilemmas. She wasn't as open as he was, but he knew he was getting somewhere with Kate that no one else ever has before. And if he was wrong, he didn't want to know. He wanted to think that he was the only man she's had this type of relationship with.

Tonight, Kate was telling more than ever before. A bottle of tequila got her started and from there she kept going and going. Now she sat with a bottle of beer and Richard sympathized for her, only able to imagine the hangover she'd be suffering in the morning. He was drinking too, but it's been beer all night for him. He was tipsy. Not smashed.

"You're losing me Kate. What are you trying to say?" he thought her rant was adorable, but he knew she was being serious. So he tried to hide the smirk on his face. He didn't even care that she called him out on staring at her all the time. Would she even remember this in the morning? If she did, she'd be more embarrassed about her behavior.

Frustrated, the detective let out a loud sigh. "Keep up Castle," she shook her. She was sitting on the coffee table, facing the couch that was occupied by Richard. He sat back to give her some space, but their legs touched. He never minded physical contact with her, and tonight in this drunken state, she was fine with it. "In a nutshell, it's nice to know that people think I'm attractive, but being stared at doesn't make me feel beautiful. Just sexy. That's good sometimes, like when I'm working undercover or something, but I want to feel beautiful."

He never imagined her being insecure and he felt bad even putting it into consideration. She's just been through a break up though. Everyone had their issues after ending a relationship. Personally, he was sky high about Josh being out of the picture. "I want you to feel beautiful too, because you are."

She smiled softly as she considered what he said. After a moment, she shrugged it off and took a sip of her beer. "I don't know. If I was so beautiful I feel like people wouldn't be looking at me like I'm a piece of meat."

Richard was sipping his drink but pulled the bottle away from his lips as he shook his head. "Don't ever say that."

"You're one of those people Castle," she downed the last of her beer and placed the bottle next to her. "I guess it's different because you're my friend. I choose to be around you."

"You're beautiful and I never want to hear you say you're anything less. I don't want you thinking it either," he patted the empty spot next to him on the couch and smiled softly when Kate moved there. It wasn't graceful, so he helped guide her. When she rested her head on his shoulder, he wrapped his arm around her waist. "You're sexy and I don't think that will ever change, but I look at you because you're beautiful, okay?"

Kate wrapped her arms around Richard's waist as she thought about what he was telling her. It made sense. Sexy could only hold one's attention for so long. He's been around for a long time now and for whatever reason, he still stuck around. She knew the reasons were much deeper than him needing inspiration for his books.

She remembered a year ago, she hoped more than anything it was because he had feelings for her. After getting hurt, she tried to push that all out of her mind and she told herself not to trust him again. That failed and she couldn't say she minded. This year they've gotten closer than ever and it happened before she could even tell herself to take cover.

Finally, she nodded her head with a sigh. "Okay, whatever you say, writer boy," she kissed his cheek as a form of distraction and she smirked when she saw the smile pull from his lips and his skin turn a rose color. He opened his mouth and she was sure it was to ask why she did that, but when she held up the bottle of beer she took from his hand, he laughed.

"You're going to hate your life tomorrow," he smirked. "You realize you're going to be working with the world's worst hangover, right?" he knew he should stop her, but he hated when he couldn't give her something she wanted. Kate was one of his greatest weaknesses. After she finished his drink, he would tell her there was no more.

Kate giggled softly. "You'll have a hangover too. So it's going to suck to be either one of us."

"I didn't drink as much as you. I think I'll be okay," he argued, smirking at how fast she changed the subject. In an instant, she was perkier, all the worries of physical appearance pushed aside. That was easy.

"I don't have anything to worry about. You'll be with me, so you'll take care of me, right?" she looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

He kissed her forehead and smiled against her skin. "Yes, I'll take care of you. You'll be hung over, not drunk, so you won't like me saying that I'm taking care of you."

"I know," she agreed, then held up the bottle to him. There was enough for one more chug and he accepted it gratefully. He downed the rest as Kate wrapped her arms back around his waist. He balanced the bottle on a pillow so he could hold Kate. A smile played her lips as she was pressed against him. "You'll still take care of me anyway. You always do."

Even though Richard always went the extra mile for Kate without any regret, he was happy to know that she noticed it. "You're right. I'll always want to take care of you even though you usually end up saving my ass."

She laughed softly. "I'm a cop, it's my job," she would always go out of her way for Richard. Acting like she wouldn't and never had was pointless. "And I would be pretty upset if you weren't around to annoy me."

"I'll be annoying you for as long as you'll allow me too," when Kate looked up at him, they smiled at one another. "And even after that."

"Good. I like when you annoy me," of course, it wasn't really annoying having Richard around. His pestering was something she favored now. It made her days brighter, and she needed that since she worked with murder cases day after day. He was extremely personable and made her feel comfortable around him that now, she wasn't above teasing him. They bantered. Oh did they banter.

"I knew it," Rick laughed. "You would be lost without me."

"Stop teasing me right now, I'm trying to tell you something very serious."

The writer raised a brow. She jumped from topic to topic when she was drunk. Clearly, there was a lot she kept in sober and the lid was off now. She didn't know where to start or end. As bad as it was, he was letting her say whatever she wanted. He loved hearing her talk. "I'm sorry. How rude of me," he smirked.

She ignored the sarcasm and missed the smirk on his face, her head resting on his shoulder. "Did you invite me over because I've been upset?"

"No," this wasn't the first time Kate has been over to play poker. She was rare and all of his friends caught on fast. No one else would ever be so lucky to get in on his special poker games, unless they were a writer. Kate was his muse and though that shouldn't count, his feelings had much more substance. "I invited you over because I don't get enough of you in a day," he figured, why not? She wouldn't remember this in the morning.

"Really?" she kissed his neck since she was too lazy to lift her head to kiss his cheek again. Either way, this wasn't something Richard would normally expect from Kate. "That's nice. I thought you just pitied me because of my break up."

"We're friends. I invite you over to spend time with you, okay?" when she nodded her head, he continued. "Besides, you broke up with Josh. I'm sure you had your reasons."

"Damn straight I did," Kate wouldn't be so open about the break up if she was the one who was dumped. Not so soon anyway. And she certainly wouldn't have gone back to Rick's loft.

"Do you want to talk about it?" drunk or not, Rick always wanted to make Kate feel better. When she shrugged her shoulders, he kissed the top of her head. He held it for a couple seconds before pulling back, the sweet smell of cherries awakening his senses that not even alcohol could blemish. "You can tell me anything."

"We never would have worked out, so I ended it. It's very simple I guess," she knew it was anything but simple once you started to pick the situation apart. It had its many layers. The relationship started to fail the moment Kate and Rick kissed. It wasn't an impulse, but an act done while working under cover. Regardless of their reasoning, the kiss was very passionate and to her surprise, she found that he was gentle with her. She wanted to explore it some more and the thought terrified her. She knew she had to figure that all out, but she couldn't string Josh along when she so obviously had feelings for Richard.

Rick was always interested in hearing about Kate's relationships. It helped him see what her past relationships have been lacking. Better yet, what he needed to put on the table for her to finally give him a chance. "Why not? I thought you were crazy for him."

"He was a great guy," she knew that much was true. He was such a great guy. She felt terrible when she broke up with him, seeing just how much she hurt him. The worst part was she couldn't even come to tell him exactly why she was calling things off. "I just feel like he's not the best for me and I'm not the best for him. We wouldn't be able to make each other happy. He didn't see it right now, but he would have been miserable with me. My heart wasn't there."

"So if you heart wasn't there," he knew if she was sober, she'd kill him for asking. Than again, she wasn't sober. "Where do you think your heart is? Or at least, where does it belong?"

She chewed her lip and glanced up at him. When she saw him looking down at her, she smiled and showed off her perfect white teeth. Then she quickly realized what she was about to admit to, and buried her head in his chest. "Don't make me say it."

This was adorable and so unlike how Kate was acting just a couple hours before. She chased a suspect out of his apartment and effortlessly down a fire escape. The man made a wrong turn down an alley and went to jump a fence, Kate grabbed him and battled him to the ground. She won. Now here she was, shy and hiding in his chest. He loved the many sides of her and was willing to find a way to handle them all, for they were each powerful in their own way.

"Say it," he whispered in her ear.

She shook her head. "Maybe I'll tell you more about it another day," that was enough for him to know that she was talking about him. And then to confirm it, she looked up at him again. "I think you should ask me out sometime."

It didn't matter if she was drunk. She meant it. He knew deep down that she did. "I'll do just that."

"When?" Rick saying he would ask her out made her nothing less than anxious.

He smiled. "When you're not drunk so you could remember it every time we talk about that moment that brought us together as a couple. Every monthiversary and anniversary, we could look back on that day together."

"That sounds nice," she told him sincerely. "You know we're going to get as far as having anniversaries?"

Rick nodded his head in affirmation. "Absolutely. I've been trying to make you mine for a long time now. I'm not letting you go. I think I can make you very happy."

Although Kate wished she could have heard this a year ago, it meant more now. An entire year has passed that has brought them closer than ever. "You already make me happy. We would make it," she yawned as she nuzzled her face in his neck.

"Come here," he gathered the detective in his arms and stood up. His balance wasn't at par, but he would never let Kate fall. He walked carefully up the stairs. "Tell me. How would you like me to ask you out?" why not ask? He wanted the moment to be perfect since only he would remember this. He needed to ask her in a way that wouldn't scare her off. Kate had a way of avoiding things, even if she wanted them. She was scared and he was going to show her that he would keep her heart safe.

She giggled. "Nothing special. Tell me how you feel and just ask. Extravagance is something you'll go crazy over, trying to get all the details right, when I just want you to ask. I know you better. Don't do it."

He wanted to argue with her. He wanted to do something special for her, but maybe something special for Kate was being simple. "Okay beautiful," he carried her into his bedroom and carefully laid Kate on the bed. He took off her shoes and put the blankets over her.

Rick went downstairs and a few minutes later, was back up in his bedroom, smiling at the sight of Katherine Beckett in his bed. He had a glass of water in his hand and placed it on the nightstand. "Drink it all," he whispered and kissed her on the cheek. Before he could pull away, she returned the favor.

"I hope you ask me out tomorrow."

"You won't remember this in the morning," he chuckled. "So it will be killing me more than it will be killing you."

She shook her head. "I've wanted you to for a while. It's killing me too," she watched as Richard smiled and headed for the door. "Where are you going?"

He stood in the doorway and looked back at her. "I'm going to sleep on the couch."

"I feel bad."

"Don't. You're tired, stop fighting it."

"Kay.." Kate closed her eyes and pulled the blankets over her head.

Richard smiled to himself. For Kate to give up on an argument, she really had to be out of it. He went down the stairs quietly, keeping in mind that his three favorite girls were all up there.

He turned off all of the lights on the way to the living room and took the throw blanket off the back of the couch. He laid down and made himself comfortable and cocooned himself in the blanket. Satisfied with his rather unusual night, he managed to fall asleep in time.

* * *

><p>Kate groaned to herself and held her head between her hands as though that was the only thing keeping it attached to the rest of her body. Even with her eyes closed, she knew she wasn't in her room. The sheets felt softer and the scent wasn't her own, but it was familiar. It belonged to…<p>

No.

She opened her eyes and she was indeed in Rick's room.

Kate jumped out of the bed and stumbled a bit. She noticed a glass of water on the nightstand and quickly downed the whole thing, in hopes that it would help her out. She had work in two hours according to the digital clock.

"Still in my clothes.." she mumbled to herself and counted her lucky stars. She found her shoes neatly placed on the floor and slipped them on. She remembered coming the night before to play poker and since she wasn't exactly an author, she didn't have much to relate about. So she drank. And apparently she kept drinking from there.

She quietly made her way downstairs, figuring Alexis and Martha were still asleep in their rooms. She went into the kitchen and found her purse on the counter and sifted through it. Everything was in there. Perfect.

Hearing someone move around in the next room grabbed her attention. She found Rick sitting up on the couch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

That ruled out them sleeping together. There was a silver lining in this mess.

"Kate, where are you going?" he whispered.

"Umm I have to go to my apartment to get ready for work," she didn't want to stick around for any awkward conversations. She ran a hand through her messy hair and tried to hide the terror on her face. The night before was up in the air. What happened? She couldn't find it in her to ask.

"You don't want breakfast or anything?"

He wanted her to, she knew that, and she did too. She couldn't though. She needed the next two hours to get ready and to compose herself for the rest of the day she'd be spending with Rick. "Bring my coffee, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"I got to go."

And with that, she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews. Seriously, because of you all, I decided to continue this story. How many chapters am I planning? Not sure just yet. But I have some awesome readers, so this is my way of letting you know that I really do appreciate you all. =)**

* * *

><p>Standing in the elevator, Kate tried to look down to avoid the bright lighting of the small space between with walls. She knew she'd have to deal with it because her job would call for her to deal with the computer, be around her loud and tormenting team that she loved so much, and even going outside if a body dropped. They always did. The best part was that she was going to have to deal with a day of Richard. Normally she didn't mind it, she was actually at the point where she enjoyed his company, but today was different. He knew something about last night that she didn't.<p>

She knew he couldn't physically take advantage of her, so she could rule sex out. But verbally? That scared her. How was she supposed to know what she said to him the night before? Better yet, how was she supposed to know what he asked? She could definitely picture him using her drunken state to benefit him. Get some dirt so when she'd try to tease him, he'd have the upper hand. She needed to be careful, especially around Esposito and Ryan.

No. He wouldn't embarrass her in front of them. Would he?

The elevator doors opened and she stepped out and headed to her desk, looking up to find Richard sitting there, waiting ever so patiently.

"How are you here so early?" she asked as she took a seat and tried her best to make eye contact with him. She needed to be strong. As soon as their eyes met, she looked down at her hands.

"I like to be here early, you know that," he noticed the lack of eye contact and placed her coffee by her hands, watching as she played with the watch on her wrist.

When she saw the coffee, she stopped playing around with the watch that had once belonged to her father and took the coffee. She took a sip before managing to look at Rick. "Thank you."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Not a problem," he watched her drink the coffee, unable to keep his eyes off of her as usual. "I think you're going to need all the coffee you can get considering that hangover you're going through."

He just had to bring it up so soon.

Kate looked around and when she found that no one was close enough to hear what was going on, she rolled her eyes. "I don't have a hangover," she groaned. Was lying about a hangover a sin of some sort? Because it seemed like after she said that, her head began to throb a little more. The lighting made her eyes a little more sensitive. It had to be her imagination.

"I beg to differ," he loved their banter and even if now wasn't the time for her, it was for him. That's usually how it worked out anyway. "I think you're lying."

"Now that's ridiculous," she looked up at him and wondered if her makeup was okay and did a good enough job to cover up the mess she was. "If I was a liar, my pants would be on fire."

A wide, toothy smile appeared on Rick's face as he thought that one over. "You've definitely been around me too much."

"Now there's something we can agree on."

He knew she didn't actually mean it. She was just wanted this conversation to end. No shot. "I don't know, last night you were singing a different tune."

Nervousness written all over her face, all the possibilities ran through her mind. What did she say? "What do you mean?" she tried to ask as calmly as possible, but failed. Rick knew her too well at this point, so there was no use in trying to cover up. Regardless, she'd always try when she felt it necessary.

"You don't need to keep those walls up around me Kate. You know what you told me last night, don't you?" he knew she didn't but the tortured look on her face was both hilarious and adorable. After a moment, he bit his lip. "Crap then I guess you really don't remember what we did."

He wouldn't. No way.

"What do you mean?" when she noticed him hesitant, she moved in closer and spoke softer so no one else would be able to hear. "I swear Castle, I have a loaded gun on me," she would never use it on him, but the threat was always powerful.

He tried to hold a frightened look for as long as possible, but soon ended up in a fit of giggles. Kate hated that she was so annoyed and managed to find him cute. She didn't let it show. "We didn't do anything, I promise. I was joking. I would never take advantage of you."

"Not physically."

"Exactly."

"Castle."

"Don't worry about what you said, it was nothing."

She knew he was lying. The grin on his face said it all. Or was he doing this on purpose to make her worry over nothing? "Okay. I don't believe you, but I'm just going to pretend I do. It makes my life easier."

He shook his head. "I don't think it does."

She gave him a glare that for a moment was powerful enough to shut him up. She needed to say something to let him know this conversation was over with. But what? She couldn't play these games all day even though he'd disagree.

The phone started to ring.

Rick let out a gasp and when Kate looked at him, she saw that he was excited. Like a child in a candy store. "Oh! Dead body!"

She couldn't believe how he always said that so carelessly. Normally she'd tell him not to say that, but she was happy too. Not for the body or the family that would soon be suffering, but for her and Rick's newfound distraction. How selfish.

* * *

><p>Walking passed the yellow tape; Kate took in a deep breath and prepared herself to see the body. Every time she saw that tape blocking off a crime scene, she thought of the night she and her father went home to find that their home was an investigation scene. Not just any investigation, but the investigation of her mother's murder. To this day, she remembered waiting in the restaurant with her father beforehand and awkwardly joking that they were stood up by her mother, his wife. They had no idea what they were going home to.<p>

It made her stronger in the sense that she was able to pick a career and stick with it. She wanted to be a cop and stop murderers. She needed to have that control to ease the part of her felt like she could have helped her mother had she gone home earlier so the could all go to the restaurant together. And to ease the pain that to this day, she still didn't know who wanted her mother dead. They were still out there. For all she knew, she could have exchanged smile with them during a walk through the park, or shared a conversation on a long line at Starbucks. Everyone had the potential to be a killer, even the people who seemed sweetest on the outside. That was the sickest part.

So maybe Kate wasn't stronger. Maybe she just seemed it on the outside and on the inside; she was continuing to tear apart from a murder over a decade old.

She flashed her tin to an officer standing by and got through with Rick by her side. The two approached the body of a young female, face down in the concrete outside of an apartment complex. Her body was surrounded by a pool of blood. Kate knew her face was probably banged up and even cracked without seeing it.

Lanie was over the body, looking for any wounds to show for struggle, or unusual marking left behind from jewelry. Most importantly, finger prints on the blood that stained the skin. These were some of the basics before bringing the woman over to the morgue to study further.

"Hey girl, hey Castle," she said once she noticed him. "Esposito and Ryan are getting security tapes. Her hair is sticky with alcohol. Tequila maybe, but I have to run a few tests back at the lab. There was an ID."

Sometimes they weren't so lucky and had to go dumpster diving or putting their prints in the system in hopes for a match. "What's her name?" Kate asked as she looked over the body.

"Mary."

Rick stifled a laugh.

"Really Castle?" Kate raised a brow.

"Bloody Mary."

Kate tried not to smirk, but Lanie didn't hold back. These remarks became the norm since Rick's been shadowing Kate.

He looked at Kate defensively. "Tell me you weren't thinking it."

"Actually Castle, I'm thinking about all of her loved ones and how I break the news. Then there's that whole catching the man who killed her and pushed her off the building."

"I believe she died from the fall's impact," Lanie cut in. "There doesn't seem to be any signs of struggle so I'm thinking she was up on the roof with someone she trusted. They were drinking and she was lured to the edge. Depending on how much she had, a poke of the finger would probably do the trick. But again, I won't know until I get a better look. She's nineteen so either she got the alcohol from someone else, or her friend was legal. Either way, you have an address," the medical examiner handed Kate the zebra print wallet, open in a baggie.

Kate copied the information into her notebook. Halfway through the process, she heard an audio camera snap and looked over her shoulder at Rick. He was standing behind her with his iPhone out. "You can't tell me this isn't faster."

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry this is so hard for you," Rick whispered softly as they walked to the elevator. He wanted to reach out for her, but he worried she'd pull away. He hated every time when that woman rejected his signs of affection. It was something he could never get used to. If anything, it hurt a little more each and every time.<p>

Kate knew he was being sincere. Every time he watched her break the news to families and friends, it never got easier. Still, she couldn't hold back the remark that escaped her lips. "Are you sure? Because I saw that look on your face when you found out her brothers names are Tom and Collins."

He looked her in the eyes and failed to hold back a smile. "Come on. This family definitely did that on purpose," he sighed. "But that doesn't make their pain any less real. Or yours."

She shook her head. "I'm fine Castle."

"No you're not."

She gave him a warning look. "Castle."

He stepped closer to her and despite his fears of her pushing him away; he pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. She didn't hug him back, but she didn't pull away. She leaned her head on his shoulder and let out a deep breath.

"I think I just let my guard down today, that's all," she looked up at him, a part of her wanting to pull him in closer, but the elevator stopped moving and door opened. Before they could be seen, they backed away from one another and exchanged smiles.

"I guess that's pretty valid. You were smashed last night. You probably even came to work drunk," he teased as they walked over to her desk. They questioned a lot of people throughout the day and the captain wanted them to go home. Kate would rather stare at the white board that she filled out during her quick stops at the precinct. Esposito and Ryan contributed as well. It was too early to sit there and wait for answers to pop out. They needed Lanie's word on what happened to the body. They also needed prints and a few things they set out for earlier. Things that wouldn't be in until the next morning. So there was nowhere to go.

Still, they sat at her desk, both avoiding having to leave. Kate's purse was on top of her desk and she threw her phone in before turning to face Rick. "Just so you know, I didn't come to work drunk. I wasn't even hung over."

"You were hung over."

She shrugged. "Okay, maybe I was a little hung over."

He nodded his head. "I'm happy you at least admitted it to me, seeing how I saw how much you drank," he laughed. "You can really hold it down."

Nothing to be proud of, but Kate theatrically bowed her head. "Glad to impress."

"You always do," he smiled. "So you want to go out for a drink or ten? You talk a lot more that way," he said, half teasingly.

"Here we go again," she let out a groan. "Seriously Castle. What happened last night? I hate not knowing things so please just tell me…" he didn't say anything and she sat back in her chair. "Guess I'm going to have to tell Alexis on you."

That sure got a reaction. It was funny how telling his daughter would scare him more than telling his mother.

"You wouldn't."

She raised a brow.

"Please."

"Then tell me what happened last night."

"Nothing, honestly. We were just talking," when she motioned him to continue, he sighed. "You told me about your break up with Josh."

Her heart dropped. "Did I tell you why?"

To spare her the embarrassment, he shrugged his shoulders. "You were jumping from topic to topic and nothing you said was complete English. I don't really know why you did other than it just wasn't going to work."

She couldn't tell if that was all. Than again if she told him the real reason, wouldn't he be gloating right about now?

"So," he tried to change the topic, though it wasn't completely for her comfort. He wanted to see how open she would be with him even though she couldn't remember her rant from the night before. "Why do you keep me around?"

"Besides the mayor loving you?"

"Kate," he was being serious. They became close friends and though she often did confide in him, it wasn't often about relationships. Never about them being a possibility. That's why last night was so shocking. But getting Kate to talk about her personal life wasn't easy.

She sighed. "You're helpful."

That was the answer she always gave and though it was great to hear maybe a year ago, he wanted more. He sighed and stood up. "Good night Kate," he managed a smile and turned his back to her, starting for the elevator.

"You're selfless," she called out. He stopped and turned around to face her once again. "When I first met you, I thought you were all about you and I couldn't stand that. I didn't know how I'd get through a day with you around because you had your connections and from what I knew, you were a womanizer. Your witty remarks weren't always cute either."

He walked back over to the desk but he didn't sit. They held each other's gaze. "And then?"

"And then you grew on me. I was wrong. The way you talked about Alexis made me realize you were the parent every kid could simply dream about. You had your failed marriages, but I knew they weren't your fault. If you were with the right person, you wouldn't let them go. I know that because you're so persistent. More than that, you have the biggest heart and I don't like admitting that," she smiled shyly. "And you became my friend and I trusted you. You hurt me when you started looking into my mother's murder and I didn't want to see you anymore, but you wouldn't give up because like I said, you're persistent. And then you apologized. I never thought you were the type."

Rick sat back down, a smile playing his lips. He always complimented Kate and she returned the favor on occasion, but never like this. "If I didn't apologize, I would have lost you."

Her smile became more vibrant as she thought that over. He didn't want her out of his life and she certainly didn't want him out of hers. "But then I really understood I wasn't just your muse. For a while I was wondering if you apologized to continue your research, but I wasn't leaning toward it or anything. But the night my apartment got blown up always sticks out in my mind. You figured out that the wrong guy died and that I was still in danger and you rushed to my apartment. You kept calling me and I wasn't going to rush through my shower if it wasn't for that thing ringing over and over. So I got out and answered and I just remember being so scared. And then I heard the detonator going off and I ran back into my bathroom. It was a long shot, but I hoped to live. I was so weak though and I didn't think I would be able to get out. The next thing I know, I hear my door getting knocked down, followed by your screams," she ran a hand through her hair. "I never thought I'd find someone who cared enough to run into a burning building for me."

"Not a week goes by that I don't think about that night," Rick admitted quietly. "I'm not the type of man who runs into burning buildings. I wouldn't do that for just anyone. Not that I wouldn't want to save someone else, but I wouldn't have the courage. Or maybe you'd be over my shoulder telling me not to even think about it."

She nodded her head. "You got that right."

"But it was different because it was you. I was scared, but only because I thought you weren't coming out alive. There wasn't enough time to wait and I wanted to be the one to pull you out because I needed to know you were alright."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me. I'd do it again," he didn't mean for this conversation to get so deep, but he was happy it did. He got Kate to talk.

"I don't know how much it means if anything at all, but I would have done the same thing for you."

He smiled. "It means a lot. Trust me."

"Basically," she smiled back at him. "I learned you had my back in a way that no one else did. I think that helped us become the great team that we are today."

"One of the many reasons," he agreed.

That night did mean so much to her. When she was upset, she often thought about it to remind herself that she wasn't alone. When something went wrong, Rick would be there for her. Sure, he did hurt her afterwards when he spent a summer away with Gina. Once Kate and Rick reconciled, they were better than ever. Even while Kate was with Josh, they've gotten closer. Since that ploy kiss undercover, they found as many excuses as possible to be around one another. It wasn't just her imagination. It couldn't be.

"I'm going to cook for you," Rick blurted out so randomly, he didn't think much of the confused look on Kate's face. "Right now. You're coming home with me and we can just hang out. Don't worry; I won't make you drink or anything. You sort of cleaned the liquor cabinet out anyway."

She bit her lip, a failing attempt to hold back a smirk as she shook her head. "I don't want to impose."

"You're not. I invited you," he got up on his feet and held his arm out to her. "We can even watch a movie."

She never wanted to say no to him, but she was usually strong enough to. Not tonight. She grabbed her purse and stood up, linking arms with him. "Star Wars?" she knew it was one of his favorite. "The original."

"My kind of woman," he had a grin from ear to ear as they headed for the elevator. "We're not limited to watching it. We can play too."

"Tell me you have lightsabers."

"Top of the line."

Kate pressed the button for the elevator and as she waited, she looked up at Rick. "You really are a child at heart."

"Say what you want, but you know you want to play."

She decided to let him have his moment of victory. "The anticipation is killing me."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped on together, still arm in arm. It wasn't hand in hand, but it was something. He also got her to come back home with him, even if it was as friends. It was a good sign and Rick kept that in mind, knowing that he was one step closer to asking her out on a real date.


End file.
